Chapter Three
Theo
“That doesn’t seem too bad,” Theo commented, looking out over the bridge that according to Steve they had to cross.
“It’s not the bridge that we have to worry about,” Steve responded. “It’s whatever troll has claimed it.”
“Troll?” Now they needed to deal with trolls? How was that fair? They had already been walking forever. And Theo was tired and hungry. It was getting darker too. “Should we wait for morning?”
“I would feel much better getting on the other side of that bridge before we stop to rest,” Steve replied.
“What should I know about trolls?” Theo inquired.
Steve hummed while rocking back on his heels. “Even though trolls live on the dark side of the realm, they’re neither good or bad. Neutral. All they care about is collecting trinkets to allow passage over their bridge.”
“A trinket?” Theo asked. “What kind of trinket?”
Steve shrugged. “You never know what a troll will ask for.”
Hellcats! This sucked. Theo didn’t have anything to barter with. “Do you know this troll?”
“Nah, man. I don’t spend a lot of time on this side of the realm. I’m just sort of winging it,” Steve replied.
Once again, the words rang untrue. Theo nodded anyway.
“The bridges in this realm move around. It’s rare that we cross the same bridge twice,” Steve informed him.
Interesting. And that probably said more about the realm than Theo understood.
Theo strode forward, getting closer to the bridge.
He didn’t see a troll or any other fae around.
The bridge itself wasn’t much to look at.
Just hundreds of big, medium, and small rocks and stones that arched over the fast-rushing water below it.
The pathway and sides of the bridge were covered with green moss, vines, and plants.
“Hello!” Theo called out.
“We could try to sneak across,” Steve said from his side.
Theo jumped as Steve startled him. He hadn’t heard the kid move closer. Theo shook his head. Being straightforward with a fae creature was their best option until they ran out of choices.
He could do this. Would do this. Theo was a brave boy. His mates were counting on him surviving until they could get to him. Although Theo was getting really irritated with how long it was taking.
“Who are you talking to?” Garrett asked from his other side.
“The troll,” Theo explained. “So we can cross the bridge.”
“I don’t sense anyone near,” Garrett responded.
Theo glanced at Steve, who shrugged in return. Great. Steve was being as helpful as ever.
Carefully Theo stepped up to the very edge of the bridge while still staying on the path. “Hello! Is anyone there?”
Using his shifter hearing, Theo strained to pick up any sign that they weren’t alone. Nothing. Not a sound. No breathing. Theo didn’t see how he could miss a troll if one was around.
Maybe this bridge had been abandoned or something?
It would be much better if Theo had more information about freaking trolls. Trolls! What would be next? Theo was afraid to even think that way.
“Maybe the troll left?” Steve offered.
“Do they normally just leave their bridge?” Theo questioned. “You made it sound like this was the troll’s only purpose.”
“Well that’s true.” Steve waved his hand at the bridge. “But—”
“Hello! Is there anyone here. We need to cross the bridge!” Theo was at a loss on what to do. He didn’t want to upset the troll but if he wasn’t even there, what other option did they have but going forward?
Taking one step onto the bridge, Theo paused to see what happened.
Huh, nothing. Okay.
Theo strode forward with six timid steps and stopped again. He turned back toward Garrett and Steve.
Steve looked just as concerned as Theo.
Garrett, the sweet gargoyle, was currently bent over, sniffing at the vine. And now he was licking it. Weird. Maybe it was a gargoyle thing?
“Garrett?” Theo questioned.
The gargoyle straightened. “Whoever cares for this bridge puts much love into it,” Garrett told him. “We should not cross without permission.”
That was what Theo had been worried about.
“So we just wait here?” Steve asked with a huff. “I’m hungry. My mom is really going to be worried about me.”
Theo shrugged. He was inclined to trust his gargoyle friend’s judgment. “You can go ahead, especially if you know another way.”
“To go around would take days. Days!” Steve whined.
“Then I guess we just sit here and wait,” Theo responded.
Steve stomped off but that wasn’t really Theo’s concern. There was something about the kid that just bothered Theo. Theo couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong, just that something else was going on with Steve.
Garrett continued to pet the vines entwined with the moss, sticks, and stones of the bridge.
Walking over to the side, Theo peered over the edge down into the water. He’d seen creeks before but this water was moving too rapidly to not have some source of energy powering it. Magic possibly. That was Theo’s guess anyway.
He hopped up onto the edge of the bridge, dangling his feet.
Magic.
This realm was brimming with magic. Both good and bad. Fae creatures were tricky things that lived by their own rules. That was a direct quote that Theo recalled from Tate’s writing.
The water of the fae was much different than that in the human realm. Theo wasn’t even certain if it was safe so he was taking no chances. He’d love a drink. Food would be nice too. It wasn’t like Theo wasn’t used to being hungry and thirsty. It wouldn’t be long until his mates found him.
Theo just needed to survive in the meantime.
A loud rumble had Theo scrambling up and back to where Garrett still stood. The water under the bridge began to bubble before parting as something rose from the depths.
“What is it, friend Theo?” Garrett questioned in his low voice.
“I don’t know.” Theo grabbed hold of Garrett’s arm, digging his fingers deep. The last time Theo had been faced with something like this, he was being summoned into this strange world.
Maybe his mates were summoning him back?
That would be amazing!
And Theo was not letting go of Garrett. Theo dragged him into this and if they were rescued, then Garrett came with him. He would never leave his dear friend behind.
Instead of the ground disappearing under his feet again, something was coming out of the water.
“I think that’s the troll,” Theo whispered to Garrett.
In his mind, Theo had been picturing the ogre from that movie with the donkey. Shrek. This was no Shrek.
The troll was big all right. Much bigger than Theo of course and even Garrett. Like two Garretts. The troll had to be over ten feet tall.
Theo stared as the troll squinted at them with hands on hips.
“Who are you?” the troll demanded.
“Hello.” Theo cleared his throat. “Is this your bridge?”
The troll pushed out his massive chest. He wore a green shirt that was ripped on the sides and brown shorts that might have been pants at one time. The clothing was ratty and torn. “It is my bridge,” the troll claimed.
“We are requesting passage over,” Theo requested.
The troll crossed his arms. “What do you have to offer in return for your safe passage?”
This was going to be a problem. He didn’t have anything to offer. It wasn’t like Theo planned to make this little trip. “I don’t have anything to offer in exchange.”
The troll gave a big sigh.
Hellcats! Theo squirmed. “What’s your name?”
“Are you a trickster?” the troll responded. “I don’t like tricksters.”
“I’m not a trickster,” Theo replied.
“Then why do you want to know my name?” the troll questioned.
“It’s polite to know who we are talking to back in my realm,” Theo offered. “I’m Theo.”
The troll shook his head. “You should not give your name to someone you do not know, Theo. That’s bad. Very bad.”
Theo wanted to smile. The troll sounded so much like Garrett. “It’s not my full name. Just what my friends call me.”
“Friends?” the troll repeated. “Are you offering me friendship, Theo?”
Oh! Theo wanted to bounce. Could it be as simple as that? Just offering to be the troll’s friend could get him across? He had to wonder if there was any downside to this offer.
“Careful, friend Theo,” Garrett warned.
Theo nodded. He didn’t plan to stay around the fae for long. Theo also knew that he couldn’t break a promise to a fae creature without suffering consequences. The wording had to be perfect.
“I am offering friendship in exchange for safe passage across your bridge,” Theo said.
The troll smiled, showing off cracked black teeth, but he looked so happy. “I do not have many friends.”
That was sad. Theo had always wanted more friends. It was just so hard to make friends. And if this troll felt half the loneliness that Theo did, then Theo meant the offer to be friends. “I’m your friend. And this is Garrett.”
“Hello, gargoyle,” the troll said.
“Hello,” Garrett replied.
“Where are you going?” the troll asked.
“We are trying to get to the light side of the realm. I need to be able to contact my mates. They are back in the human realm,” Theo explained.
The troll made a sad sound as he frowned. “You are far away from the light side.”
“I know,” Theo agreed. “That’s why we need…want to cross your bridge.”
“You can pass, my friend,” the troll told him.
Theo dipped his head. It was on the tip of his tongue to say thank you but Theo knew that wasn’t right either. Wait! He knew what to say! “May you be blessed.”
The troll grinned again. “You may call me Bo.”
“Bo.” Theo placed a hand over his heart. “We will cross the bridge now.”
“What about the dryad that watches us?” Bo asked.
Theo turned to Steve. “Are you coming?”
“Is it safe?” Steve called back.
“Bo has offered us safe passage,” Theo replied.
Steve hurried over although he seemed to keep Theo between himself and the troll. For someone who lived in this realm, Steve wasn’t very helpful.
Theo turned back to Bo. “Steve, Garrett, and I are going now.”
“Yes,” Bo told him.
Still holding on to Garrett’s arm, Theo tugged his gargoyle friend forward.